Below is an annotated list of children's literature for the elementary classroom. The books are organized by the Six Elements of Social Justice Curriculum Design (Picower, 2007). It is based on work by pre-service teachers at Montclair State University. They have read and reviewed these books and provided insights into how they can be used in K-5 settings.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Everybody Bakes Bread

Summary: This story is about a multicultural neighborhood on a rainy Saturday afternoon. One girl sets of to find a three-handled rolling pin to help her mother bake bread and soon discovers everybody in the neighborhood is baking bread too. Although she never finds the rolling pin, she finds a cultural experience through a variety of breads.

My Opinion: This book is great because it uses a universal food to show differences and similarities in cultures. It brings diversity to children’s attention. It is also a great way to study geography and local ingredients that are native to a certain place.

Possible Topics: Multiculturalism and diversity are the main themes throughout this book. It is a great way of comparing cultures. It is also a great introduction to geography and countries around the world.

Children can study and learn the diverse cultures within their communities. They can compare and contrast the customs and beliefs within these different sultures. They can also be encouraged to view the stereotypes assosiated with certain groups of people and think of ways to combat these stereoptypes within their own classroom and neighborhood.